The present invention relates generally to radioisotope power sources and more particularly to a radioisotope nanoparticle-based power source and systems of use thereof.
There is an increasing need to develop miniature (e.g., less than 10 cm3), very long-life (e.g., greater than 10 years) power generation sources for remote and/or harsh environment applications as well as for portable devices. In such situations it is often impractical to supply direct, continuous power, or, alternatively, unsafe or costly to frequently change a depleted power generation source.
Just some examples of these difficult power generation scenarios include sensors in the nuclear power industry, satellite generators, military hardware, biomedical implants, and the like.
Conventional approaches relying on electrochemical energy suffer from inadequate energy densities to meet the demands of very long-life applications, unless this inadequacy is compensated by cumbersome volumes. While the use of radioisotopes has been explored, it is not without its own shortcomings. Safe processing and disposal of radioisotopes as well as radiation exposure and damage to adjacent materials (e.g., photovoltaic device) are just some of the current shortcomings with using radioisotopes.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for further improving the durability, life and/or power density of power source technologies.